Treadle mechanism



C. F. STACEY.

TREADLE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILIED 05c. 1a. 1916.

1,348, 1 88, I Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

c. F. STACEY}.

TREADLE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 13,1916.

PatentedAiIg. 3,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cyan; EELLs srAcEY, or LoNnoN, ENGL ND, AssIGNoE, BY MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS,

T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A con,- PORATION or NEW JERSEY. f V V TREADLE MECHANISM.

tor caused by having to remain continuously To all whom it may concern 1n the same position with his foot onthe Be it known thatI, CYRIL F. STACEY, a

Patented Aug, 3, 1920.

subject of the King of England, residing at London, Englanchhave invented certain Improvements in Treadle Mechanisms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to treadle mechanism which is of general utility in machines arranged for manual control or operation and particularly to treadle mechanisms used in machines such as lasting machines, the invention being herein shown as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent N 0. 1,072,694, granted September 9, 1913, oriapplication of Matthias Brock.

In this machine and others of which this is typical, the driver or driving mechanism is caused to actuate tools or driven devices at one or another speed according to the po.- sition to which the treadle is depressed. In the use of lastingmachines'of this type the operator holds the shoe in his hands for the action of the gripper and tack driver on it and this presentation requires skill and involves substantial physical effort, and, although in the Brock machine the treadle mechanism is arranged so that in either of the two depressed positions of the treadle, corresponding to the two speeds at which the machine may be driven, a firm support is provided beneath the treadle, the operator being thereby relieved from fatigue to a considerable extent, the foot cannot be removed from the treadle without causing the machine to stop. The operator must stand, therefore, with one .foot on the treadle all the time the machineis in operation, and consequently, operation of the machine causes substantial physical fatigue not only because of the physical effort required, but because the operator cannot'change his position. A specific object of this invention is to enable the operator to remove his foot from the treadle of a machine of the type referred to, at least for a few moments at a time, while the machine continues to run and thereby lessen the fatigue of the operatreadle.

A feature of the invention consists in an organization comprising a driver operatively connected to a source of power, driven devices adapted to be operated at different speeds from the driver, speed controlling mechanism comprising a speed controlling element and operative connections between said element and said driver, together with locking means for said speed controlling element organized to hold said element in speed controlling position and to be rendered operative or inoperative by rocking movement of said element. 5

More broadly, it is an object of this invention to provide improved treadle lever looking mechanism applicable where it is desired to hold a treadle lever depressed for a time and then to release it.

A feature of the invention consists in the combination with a depressible treadle lever, of a foot plate movable relatively to the lever, and connected mechanism controlled by movement of the foot plate for holding the'treadle lever in depressed position. In the construction shown herein, the foot plate is mounted for rocking movement about an axis extending in the direction of the foot when placed upon the foot plate, and a look,- ing device is provided which is rendered operative to'hold the treadle lever depressed when the foot plate is rocked. Preferably the locking device is rendered effective when that side of the foot plate is'depressed which is nearest the operator and on which side the foot would naturally be withdrawn from the foot plate. As shown herein, the foot plate is held normally tilted by a spring and the locking mechanism is then operative to hold the treadle lever depressed. When the operators footis pressed upon the foot plate,the foot plate is held in a horizontal position and the locking mechanism is then inoperative. When it is desired to lock the treadle lever in depressed position the operator removes his foot from the foot plate by a. sidewise movement, allowing the treadle to tilt and the locking means to become effective. The locking mechanism preferably comprises a stationary locking segment with which cooperates a roll held between the segment and an inclined surface of the treadle lever, an arm connected with the foot plate being provided to lift the Figure 1 represents the base portion of al machine equipped with mechanism embodyin this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the treadle mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a side View of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the locking mechanism and Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the tilting foot plate and the supporting part of the treadle lever.

In Fig.- 1 of the drawingis shown the base portion of a two-speed lasting machine of the type described in the Brock patent above referred to. The two-speed mechanism is controlled by an inverted toggle comprising pairs of links 1, 3 (one pair only being shown). The links 1 are connected by a yoke 5 and the yoke is connected by a rod 7 to the rear end of a treadle lever 2 pivoted on a shaft 4. l/Vhen the forward end of the lever is depressed by the operators foot pressingon the foot plate 6, the toggles 1, 3 are moved and cause the machine or driven devices to be operated at one or another speed from the driver in accordance with the amount of depression of the treadle. The construction by which this is effected comprises a shaft 18 having a fast pulley 19 turned continuously by a belt 21 and having a clutch element 23 fixed thereto which element constitutes the driver. The driver 23 is operated through the treadle lever 2 and the mechanism described to cooperate alternately with loose pulleys 24, 25, through which are driven respectively a large pulley 27 or a small pulley 28 fixed to a shaft or driven device 29, the shaft being driven at a low speed when the driver 23 engages the pulley 24 and at a higher speed.

when the driver 23 engages the pulley 25. The shaft 29 is mounted on the head of the machine and on this shaft are the usual cams from which are operated the gripper and tacker of the lasting apparatus or other driven devices with which the machine is equipped. The clutch element or driver 23 normally occupies a central relation with respect to the pulleys 24, 25, as shown in Fig. 1, and this position is maintained by a spring 31 acting through the speed controlling element or treadle lever 2, rod 7 yoke 5, and toggle links 1 and 3,the construction of the speed changing mechanism and the connection of the toggle mechanism therewith, except as herein explained, being like that shown in United States Letand causes the machine to operate at first 7 speed only. The lever 9 is normally held out of position for limiting movement of the treadle by a spring 15 and is moved into such limiting position by pressure of the operators knee upon a knee push 17 as shown in the Brock patent referred to above. The foot plate 6 on the forward end of the lever 2 is mounted to rock or tilt with a rock shaft 8 having bearings in lugs 10, .12 on the lever 2. The rocking movement of the foot plate is limited by an underlying portion of the lever 2 having two surfaces14, 16, one 14 horizontal, the other 16 inclined toward the operators left. The foot plate is normally held in contact with the inclined surface 16 by a light spring 18 which tends to tilt the side of the treadle nearest the operator downwardly. The inner end of the rock shaft 8 has fixed thereto an arm 20 which extends beneath a locking roll or ball 22 mounted between an inclined face24 011 the lever 2 and a face 26 formed on a fixed segmental member 28, the face having a curvature concentric with the pivot 4 of the lever; The roll 22 is depressed into locking position by a spring 30.

When the foot plate is held in horizontal position by light pressure of the operators foot, the arm 20 engages the'roll 22 and lifts it against the spring 30 out of locking engagement with the surfaces 24, 26, the

lever being then free to be moved up and down. If it is desired that the treadle lever remain depressed, the operator has only to slide-his foot off the foot plate in the direction of the arrow as, Fig. 5, or to tip his foot thereby permitting the spring to tilt the foot plate and remove the arm 20 from contact with the roll 22, thus allowing the roll to wedge between the surfaces 24, 26 and lock the treadle lever in depressed position. The treadle lever is, of course, unlocked by stepping squarely on the foot plate and rocking it back to its horizontal position.

.If necessary, the treadle lever may be sired speed and the operator may remove his foot during operation of the-machine at a given speed and stand squarely on the floor with both feet until it is necessary to stop the machine or shift the speed. If he desires to limit operation of the machine to the first speed, he presses his knee against the push 17, thereby bringing the dog 13 under the lug on the treadle lever which will limit the depression of the treadle lever to the point required for operation of the machine at first speed. The operator may then allow the locking mechanism to engage and hold the machine at this speedif he desires to remove his foot from the treadle.

It is to be understood that this invention is applicable to any lever moved by the operator whether it be arranged for operation by hand or foot.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is: i

1. In a machine of the class described, a driver operatively connected to a source of power, driven devices adapted to be operated at different speeds from the driver, speed controlling mechanism comprising a speed controlling element and operative connections between said element and said driver, and locking means for said speed controlling element organized to hold said element in speed controlling position and to be rendered operative or inoperative by rocking movement of said element.

2. In a machine of the class described, a driver operatively connected to a source of power, driven devices adapted to be operated at different speeds from the driver, speed controlling mechanism comprising a treadle to control the speed by its position and operative connections between said treadle and said driver organized to hold said treadle in speed controlling position and to be rendered operative or inoperative by rocking movement of said treadle;

In a machine of the class described, a driver operatively connected to a source of power, driven devices adapted to be operated at different speeds from the driver, speed controlling mechanism comprising a treadle lever to control the speed by its position and operative connections between said lever and said driver comprising a rocking foot plate, and locking means for the treadle lever normally inoperative and becoming operative when the foot plate is rocked.

4. In a machine of the class described, a driver operatively connected to a source of power, driven devices adapted to be operated at different speeds from the driver, speed controlling mechanism comprising a treadle lever connected to said mechanism and arranged to control the speed by its position and operative connections'between said lever-and said driver comprising a rocking foot plate on the treadle lever, and looking means for the treadle lever operative when the foot plate is in one angular position to hold the machine at a given speed and rendered inoperative by movement of the foot plate to a different angular position to allow the machine to stop.

5. In a machine of the class described, a mechanism to be operated, a lever through which operation of said mechanism is effected,"a shaft extending longitudinally of the lever and mounted in bearings 011 the lever, a foot plate fixed to the forward end of the shaft to rock therewith, a locking device for holding the lever depressed, and an arm on the shaft arranged to disengage the clined face on the treadle lever, a roll lying between said faces, and means operated by rocking of the foot plate for lifting the roll out of engagement with said faces.

7. In a machine of the class described, a mechanism to be operated, a lever through which said mechanism is moved, a foot plate mounted on the lever for rocking movement, stops on the lever for limiting movement of the foot plate to positions between a horizontal position and an inclined position, a locking device for holding the lever against movement, and means operated by movement of the foot plate which prevents operation of the locking device when the foot plate is horizontal and permits operation of the locking device when the foot plate is inclined.

8. In a machine of the class described, a mechanism to be operated, a manually operated lever for moving said mechanism, a locking device for the lever, and means mounted on the lever for movement substantially about the longitudinal axis of the lever for rendering the locking device operative or inoperative. 4

9. In a machine of the class described, a mechanism to be operated, a manually operated lever therefor, a normally operative locking device for the lever, and manually movable means mounted on the lever for movement about an axis extending substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the lever for rendering the looking device inoperative.

10. In a machine of the class described, a mechanismto be operated, a treadle lever for effecting the operation of said mechaposition,

nism, a foot plate mounted on the lever for rockmg movement about an axis extending in the direction of the operators foot in its vnormal position of engagement with the foot tilting movement about an axis extending from front to rear of the machine, treadle lever locking means which is operative when the foot plate is tilted in one direction, and means for rendering the locking means inoperative when the foot plate is reversely tilted.

12. In a machine of the class described, a driver operatively connected to a source of power, driven devices adapted to be operated at different speeds from the driver, a twospeed mechanism including a speed controlling element and a treadle lever connected therewith to control the speed by its and locking means for the treadle which is rendered inoperative while the operators foot rests normally on the treadle and becomes operative automatically when power,

means operable at the will of the operator for arresting the lever in the first speed posi- 7 tion, and locking mechanism for holding the lever in the first speed position when the operators foot is removed.

14. In a machine of the class described, a driver operatively connected to a source of driven devices adapted to be oper ated at different speeds from the driver, speed controlling mechanism, a treadle for controlling said mechanism by its position,

means operable at the will of the operator for arresting. the lever in the one speed posi-' tion, and locking mechanism for holding the lever in the said speed position when, the operators foot is removed, said locking means being also operable to holdthe lever in any speed position when the arresting means is not employed.

. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. V

'OYRIL FELLs STACEY. 

